This disclosure relates to a cleaning head for a vacuum cleaner (suction cleaner).
A cleaning head in accordance with the invention may be for use with a vacuum cleaner of the “cylinder” (or “canister”) type, in which the head is connected by a hose and (usually) a wand assembly to a separate cleaner body. The cleaner body contains a motor and impeller for creating a suction airflow, and a separating apparatus which separates dirt and dust from the dirty airflow sucked from whatever is being cleaned, and retains the separated dirt and dust for disposal when required. Alternatively, the head may form part of a cleaner of the “upright” type, such a cleaner including a cleaning head part movable over a floor surface and a body to which the head is pivotally connected, the body having a handle by which a user is able to move the entire cleaner as required over a floor surface. The separating apparatus usually is carried by the body. An upright cleaner may have a hose and wand enabling cleaning of things other than a floor surface, and a cleaning head in accordance with the invention may be used with a hose and wand of an upright cleaner just as it is usable with a hose or wand of a cylinder cleaner.
Yet further, “central” or “built in” vacuum cleaning systems are known, wherein a building is provided with a system of ducting leading from a central suction airflow-creating and dust separating-collecting unit to a number of connection points in different places in the building, at which a hose and wand assembly is or can be connected. A cleaning head in accordance with the invention may be used with such a hose and wand assembly in the same manner as with the hose and wand assembly of a cylinder cleaner.
The cleaning head part of an upright cleaner has a housing affording a suction opening facing a floor surface to be cleaned, and a duct for conveying suction airflow from the suction opening to the dust separating/collecting, and airflow creating, components of the cleaner. It is usual to provide a rotatable agitating element, such as a brush and/or beater bar, in the housing, with a circumferential part of the brush bar protruding through the suction opening so as to be able to assist cleaning of the floor surface. Such an agitating element is particularly useful where it is a carpeted surface which is being cleaned.
A rotatable brush bar can also be provided in a cleaning head for a cylinder type of vacuum cleaner. Arrangements are known for the supply of electrical power along a hose and wand to power an electric motor for driving the brush bar, but a more common solution adopted for driving the brush bar in the cleaning head of a cylinder type cleaner is to incorporate a turbine in the cleaning head, operated by the suction airflow. A so-called “turbo-brush” can greatly improve the cleaning capability of a cleaning head for use on carpeted floor surfaces.
One disadvantage of a cleaning head with a brush bar is that the suction opening necessarily has a relatively large cross-sectional area, so the speed of the suction airflow through it is reduced as compared with what it would be if the opening were smaller. This can lead to some reduction in the ability of the cleaning head to suck up dust and dirt from hard floor surfaces, where the action of a brush bar is less helpful. It is an object of the present invention to address this problem of a cleaning head having an agitating element such as a brush bar.